Ground anchor  v



y 15, l952 F. A. DYCHE 2,603,319

GROUND'ANCHOR I 'Filed Jan. 24, 1949 uvmvro.

Fkm A. By Y 0 B I V ATTORN EYS Patented July 15, 1952 GROUND ANCHOR 1 I I Franz A. Dyche, Houston; Tex. Application January 24, 19fi9,- Serial N0,

1 Claim. (01. 189 91)- This invention relates to improvement in ground anchors and refers more particularly to anchors for securing deadlines of hoisting apparatus, guy wires and the like.

"Ground anchors heretofore proposed have had "several objectionable features. one of these is that the anchors which have satisfactorily held in place when installed have not been readily removable for reuse at different locations. 'In addition, in the conventional ground anchor of the auger type, no provision has been made forjlubrieating the auger threads duringinstallatio'n and removal of the anchor. This has made it very difiicult to use this type of anchor in some earth conditions. Also, the anchors heretoforei used have tended to be pulled into axiaialignment with the line secured thereto, and when this occurs the effectiveness of the anchor is greatly reduced. Then, too, there has been no convenient way of extending the length of the shaft of the anchor where it is desirable to sink the anchor to a greater depth than the over-all length of the anchor unit. v

An object of this invention is to provide a ground anchor that may be economically manufactured, easily and quickly installed an'dremoved, and which will effectively resist upfr'ootmg. a i a z Another object is to provide an anchorfof' the auger type wherein the auger threadhas a novel contour which facilitate 'r'e'mevsiio the anchor when its usefulness in a givenlocat'ion ceases. v

A further object is to provide an anchor of the auger type which may belubricated during installation and removal where ground conditions make this desirable. I J 1.

Still another object is to provide an anchor having a novel means for securing ali-ne thereto which reduces the likelihood of the anchors shifting its position in useto a position in substantial axial alignment with the line which is secured thereto. Other and further objects ofthe invention will appear from the description.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of the instant specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith, and wherein like reference numerals are used to indicate likeparts in the various views: H Fig. l is a partially exploded and partially sectional elevational view illustrating an anchor embodyin this invention; 7

Fig 2 is a fragmentary elevational view upon an enlarged scale illustrating the lower end of theanchor shown in Fig. 1, and

2 I Fig. 3is a view upon a still larger scale, taken along the line 3-3 in Fig. 2 in the directionof the "arrows; x i 7 Referring to the drawings, numeral 5 designates the body member of an auger type'anchor and is preferably a hollow'shaft having a'pointed end 6 which is substantially closed, Shaftii carries adjacent its pointed end a flight of auger thread l'which is permanently secured thereto. The number of convolutions of the auger thread may vary dependent upon the requirements of the particular anchoring job. However, a plu rality ,of. such convolutions should be employed. The auger thread convol'u'tio'ns adjacent the pointeol en'd are in somewhat conventional form commencing with a slight taper and gradually increasing in degree of radial extension as the thread spirals upwardly. At about the midpoint, or the central convolution, the radial extension of the thread reaches'its maximum. At this point the -remainder of the convolutions depart radically from present day conventional practice, in that the. radialextension of the auger thread commences to diminish and tapers down to a point at its extreme end in much the same fashion as the thread commences at the lower orpointed end of the anchor.

The auger thread preferably is fabricatedifrom sheet metal or the like having substantially uni.- form thickness throughout its length. .Thisstrip 'or ribbon may be welded to shaft 5 and no fillets are provided at-the joinder of the blade to the shaft otherthan that inherently present due to the weld material. Thus the-auger blade will extend from the shaft as'though theblade surfaceswere formed by extending an infinite number' of spirally arranged radii of the shaft. This is'of advantage over' the type of auger blade, which is somewhat V-shaped in cross-section} for the latter "provides a wedge action to force the dirt from between the adjacent convolutions increasing the likelihood of accidental withdrawal oftheanchor; j In order that. the auger blades maybe lubri cated during installation and removal of the device, shaft 5 maybe providedwith a plurality of ports '5a spaced along the length of the shaft for distributing a lubricant liquidt'o the blades there of. Preferably each port lies closely adjacent the upper surfaceof a portion of the auger thread and the perforations should also be providednear the lower end of the device. Water or other suitable liquid may be introduced into the upperlend of the device through its open end 5b 01 through the open end of the uppermost extension 8 of the shaft.

In order to reduce the likelihood of ports 50. becoming clogged or filled with earth in use. the ports are preferably formed along axes which form obtuse angles with the radii of the shaft 5 that they intersect. This is illustrated in Fig. 3 where it will be seen that the axis of the port 5a, shown therein, forms an obtuse angle with the radius shown at 9 and that this obtuse angle resides on the trailing side of the radius as the shaft is rotated in a driving direction, which is indicated by the arrow. With this arrangement the inclined innersurface indicated at 50 of the port will tend to push any dirt or debris entering the port 5a outside the port as the auger is driven. Of course, this action will be aided bythe pressure of the water or other liquid within the shaft.

In Fig. 1, the anchor is shown secured to a deadline l and it will be assumed for the purpose of the discussion that the extension 8 is not to be secured to the anchor but that the device will not be driven below the position shown in the figure. It will be seen that the deadline ID will be secured about the shaft at an intermediate point of its length. The end of the line is secured to shaft 5 in such manner to provide a swivel connection and yet which will prevent axial movement of the line on the shaft which would withdraw the line from the end of the shaft. To accomplish this, a collar H may be secured to shaft 5 in a selected position by a dowel pin placed in a selected perforation 5e. This collar H provides a downturned shoulder which will abut the upper edge of sleeve or member l5, which has an eye 15a in which the deadline may be secured, to prevent upward movement of the sleeve upon [5 carries a radially extending guide vane l5b, in which the eye may be formed, that engages the earth about the shaft to retard rotation of the sleeve with the shaft in operation.

With this connection of the line to the shaft,

the tendency of the shaft to be pulled into axial alignment with the line secured thereto is reduced. The shaft may be considered, in effect, as pivoted on the deadline and a force exerted against the shaft, in the direction of the line l0 will set up substantially counterbalancing forces between the earth and the shaft on each side of the pivot, and this reduces the likelihood of the shaft shifting its position into substantially axial alignment with line H).

Referring to the extension of shaft 5, the upper end of the shaft has oppositely disposed perforations 5a adapted to receive a dowel pin or stud which may also pass through perforations l2a in coupling element If. The coupling element may be a sleeve secured by pin I3 to the lower end of extension 8 and is adapted-to fit within the opening 51) of shaft 5. When thus secured to the shaft the extension 8 becomes a rigid part thereof, and a plurality of such extensions may be thus made up in an elongate shaft in this or any suitable, similar manner. The shaft may be sunk to a considerable depth by using a plurality of such extensions, adjacent ones of which may be secured together in the same manner that the shaft 5 is secured to the first extension. It is believed that the operation of the anchor of this invention is apparent from the foregoing description. The pointed end of the anchor may be jabbed into the ground and upon rotation of the anchor in one direction the auger the shaft. Sleeve threads lead into the ground, pulling the anchor or shaft 5 after it. For purposes of rotating the shaft, pipe tongs or the like, may be employed and the operators may place a downward force upon the shaft in addition to a torque.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the driving rotational sense is clockwise as viewed in top plan and the withdrawal rotational sense is counterclockwise. However, it is to be understood that the auger threads could be mounted with a reversed spiral from that shown, in which case the driving and withdrawal rotational senses would be reversed.

When the ground into which the anchor is to be sunk or from which it is to be withdrawn, is dry, is sticky such as wet gumbo, or otherwise ofiers excessive resistance to movement of the auger, the shaft 5 may be filled with water or other suitable lubricant liquid which will drain from ports 5a onto the auger blades to facilitate installation or removal of the anchor.

When the device has been lowered to the extent that the desired location of collar H on the shaft is about to enter the ground, sleeve l5 and collar l l are placed and line 10 is secured to the sleeve, and then the sinking of the anchor may be continued. The line 10 and sleeve l5 will swivel upon the shaft but the line will cut its way to the inclined position shown in the drawing. In many instances, the usual turnbuckle may be dispensed with, the anchor being sunk to a sufficient depth to tighten the line.

As the device is driven into the ground, the device does not act as a drill forcing the dirt upwardly and leaving a hole, but rather the dirt is compacted and compressed about the shaft and between the convolutions of the auger thread and this very effectively secures the auger against accidental release. The tapering off of the radial extension of the auger thread adjacent both ends. facilitates both the driving and the removal of the device, but does not materially reduce its effectiveness as an anchor.

As indicated above, the provision of means intermediate the ends of the anchor for securing a line thereto reduces the tendency of the anchor to become aligned axially with the line during use and thus adds to the efficiency of the anchor, for the aligned anchors are much more readily uprooted from the ground.

When the anchor has been sunk to the limits of its length, extension 8 may be rigidly secured to shaft 5 by inserting coupling element I2 in opening 5b of the shaft and placing a dowel pin, stud or the like through openings 5d and [2a. Where desirable, extension 8 may be equipped with a wear sleeve 14 to be gripped by the pipe tongs or the like.

The anchors of this invention are easily and readily removed when their usefulness in a particular location has been served by imparting a rotation to the shaft. In this operation, the tapered upper convolutions of the auger thread I served to lead the device from anchoring position, and it has been found that the devices may be removed from the ground with substantially the same forces as employed for driving them. Where desirable, a lubricant such as water, may be used for facilitating this operation.

It is contemplated that devices of this invention, of large dimensions, may be employed as structural supports for permanent and semipermanent structures, performing the function of and replacing the usual driven piles. For instance, they may be used in providing a foundation for beach homes, bridges, wharves, buildings and oil well derricks in oif-shore wells; In the latter case, adjacent devices may be braced by cross arms and the like, and where desirable, the hollow shaft may be filled with reenforced concrete for additional strength.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the structure.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claim.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the inventionwithout departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understod that all matter.

herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

The invention having been described, what is claimed is:

A ground anchor comprising a central cylindrical shaft having a pointed end, a single spirally arranged sheet metal auger thread with at least three convolutions carried by said shaft with one end of the thread being joined to said pointed end and the remainder of the thread extending along the cylindrical portion of the shaft, the convolution at about the mid-point of the length of said thread being situated on the cylindrical portion of said shaft and having a greater radial extension from said shaft than the convolutions on either side of the mid-point convolution, said convolutions on either side continuously and gradually diminishing in radial extension. toward the end extremities of the thread and terminating in a tapered point so that as the pointed end of the anchor is driven throughthe ground to displace earth outwardly therefrom, the displaced earth is substantially prevented from moving upwardly from its original position by the convolutions of said thread.

FRANZ A. DYCHE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 153,807 Collins Aug. 4, 1874 172,917 Durrin Feb. 1, 1876 315,593 Boehmke et al. Apr. 4, 188 5 1,894,401 Hollos Jan. 17, 1933 2,063,052 Robins Dec. 8, 1936 

